Kiitra
General information Kiitra is one of the six major indigenous languages of the planet Alplai, and used through its solar system as a universal auxilliary language. Historical background The name Kiitra refers to a confederation of city-states, representing nine different ethnolinguistic groups. Over time, as trade and inter-community cooperation demanded a common language, a series of simplified combined lexicons ("pidgins" and "creoles" in Terran terminology) began to emerge. Eventually, the government of the Ferap Kiitra formed a commission to unify and standardize these new language form into an official Kiitra language. The result was a highly modal, phonetic and regular language which was easy to learn and understand - so much so that it displaced the other languages and dialects within two or three generations, and its written alphabet would be adopted by the Konarai, Saakh and Krishkarha (the Baija would continue to use their own complex script). When the United Nations Interstellar Ark arrived in Alplai's solar system, and contact was made with the Terran settlers on board, the decision was made in short order to continue to use Kiitra as the mode of communication. Since the Alplaians are descended from birds, and have beaks instead of lips, this limits some of the phonemes they are able to pronounce, compared to Terrans with their flexible lips. While Terrans continue to use their own languages (especially English), Kiitra retains its place as the focal point of communication for Alplai and its interplanetary settlements that make up the Gentakraat Alplai ''(Alplai Concordance government) Phonology Alphabet The Kiitra alphabet is highly phonetic, with each character representing one and only one sound. There are eight vowels, nineteen consonants, and one glottal-stop marker: There are also two additional vowel sounds, represented by combining two vowel characters: Phonotactics With the exception of ''ai and ei, there are no other cases of combined or "blended" vowels; in many words the glottal-stop marker is used to separate vowels from one another. This restriction is also present in other Aplaian languages, and even more so with Konarai having only one vowel sound (a''). Combined with the restrictions of Alplaian vocal physiology (ie, rigid beaks making it difficult to reproduce more nuanced labial sounds) and the absence of certain consonants and digraphs (such as ''w and ch) makes it more difficult for Alplaians to pronounce Terran words than for Terrans to pronounce Kiitra and other Alplaian languages. Grammar Nouns Kiitra nouns have a highly regular pattern, with plural and possessive forms created by the addition of suffixes. Verbs, adjectives and nouns can likewise be made into certain concrete noun forms by adding specific suffixes *Plural: add ''-jiit'' *Possessive: add -luu *Person: add ''-ai'' (example: "medical science" to "physician" = rekaavaag to rekaavaagai *Group or organization: add ''-aat'' (example: "traditional" to "Traditionalist Party" = diirdezna to diirdeznaat *Vehicle or craft: add ''-juush'' (example: "sea" to "boat"/"ship" = mura to murajuush *Structure or complex: add ''-dara'' (example: "sky" to "airport" = eksa to eksadara *Sub-unit of complex structure: replace -dara with ''-badra'' (example: eksabadra for "airport terminal") Pronouns There are fourteen pronouns, organized according to person (first, second, third), number, (singular, plural), gender (male, female, neuter, inanimate) and formality. The formal forms were used in the past for speaking to or about a person of higher social station; as Kiitra and Alplaian society became more democratic, their use fell out of favor, and they are now restricted to either deities or highly esteemed decedents. Familial relationships Kiitra nouns for relatives are grouped into two general categories: *"Horizontal" relationships share the ''-aita'' root *"Vertical" relationships share the -idra root Thus the basic words: *''jaita'' for "sibling" *''laita'' for "cousin" *''vidra'' for "parent" *''pidra'' for "child/offspring" *''kidra'' for "parent's sibling" (aunt or uncle) *''zidra'' for "sibling's child/offspring" (niece or nephew) Gender is indicated by prefixing either ada-'' for "male" or ava- for "female". Vertical relationships also have a system of conjugation for indicating generational "levels" based on comparative and superlative indicators: *second level ("grand-"): change root to -idriil *third level ("great-grand-"): change root to ''-idriikh *fourth level ("great-great-grand-"): prefix ekaa-'' to third level *fifth level ("great-great-great-grand-:): prefix ''ekiil- ''to third level *sixth level ("great-great-great-great-grand-"): prefix ''ekiikh-'' to third level *seventh level and above: continue adding prefix as in fourth through sixth level Marital status and relationships Marriage is indicate by the root word ''takra ("promise"). One's spouse is therefore takrai ("promised one"); as with familial relationships, gender is indicated by prefixing ada-'' or ''ava- ''to the root. In-laws are indicated by the following formula: relationship + ''vara takrai + pronoun. Thus "my brother-in-law" = adajaita vara takrai mraluu. Additionally: *''pekhtakrai'' = divorced person *''mlenotakrai'' = widowed person *''nitakrai'' = single or never-married person Verbs tba Adjectives tba Adverbs and Auxilliary Verbs Vocabulary TBA Example text Category:Languages